Auto-DM [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Auto-DM [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rogue Newb
11-27-06, 09:53 PM Has anyone ever found a way to run a DM without a person? Or a truly fair way for a DM to play. Me and a friend are huge d20 fans and are completely alone in a small town, and we have no way to play because neither of us is really interested in one player and one DM game.
Chrono Nexus
11-27-06, 09:58 PM I don't think it is possible for a DM to fully enjoy being a pc and also fulfill his responsiblities as a DM. Either way, one or the other is going to suffer.
As for playing without a DM... it is possible, but only with site based advetures. Hack and slash is so defined by the mechanics, a machine could do the job practically. Assigning an umpire (quasi-DM) to handle application of the rules is really all that would be necessary.
I think a DM plays the game when he DMs. I can see how playing keeps is more appealing, but the DM knows he's giving up a little fun so everyone else enjoys themselves.
Tempest Stormwind
11-27-06, 10:09 PM God, if this existed, the CO boards would *love* it (since it removes the human element and gives consistent responses, which is what many of our thought experiments rely on).

So, no.

But as for those small-town fellows? Got Internet? Get this. (http://www.openRPG.com) Free online tabletop simulator -- one of many, actually, but it's the one I prefer. Head online and look for DMs or other players there!

I hate all the local DMs (they are all either old-editions-only grognards or you-must-roleplay-everything-so-screw-the-player-who-tries-to-play-someone-smarter-wiser-or-more-charismatic-than-themselves DMs), so I looked elsewhere. I live in Edmonton (Western Canada) and have had VERY GOOD DMs in Grafton (Australia), London (England), and Halifax (Eastern Canada) thanks to that discovery.
jeffepp
11-27-06, 10:14 PM Dungeon Bash is made to be played "DM-less". The campaigns are table based. It is a hack and slash.

http://www.theothergamecompany.com/bash/index.htm
CharlieRock
11-28-06, 04:02 AM Besides one playing sevral characters and one DMing ...
I played several one player campaigns growing up. They mostly resembled wargames. Allow this, both 'players' get a set amount of characters, on a map, involve a story as the background. Then commence to tearing up the other 'side'. The DM is then more of a referee. An 'impartial' referee. Like playing old-school BattleTech or CarWars. :cool:
Sim_antix
11-28-06, 04:10 AM I don't think it is possible for a DM to fully enjoy being a pc and also fulfill his responsiblities as a DM. Either way, one or the other is going to suffer.
I said this once along time ago and was quickly flamed from all angles.

I still stand by that statement.
CharlieRock
11-28-06, 04:17 AM I said this once along time ago and was quickly flamed from all angles.

I still stand by that statement.
If I was the second guy, I'd wait for the DMPC to start haggling (or something) with himself (another NPC) ,and go ':mymy: '

Edit: heh, then suggesting he should RP more :evillaugh
Seeker95
11-28-06, 09:18 AM A friend of mine and I ran a two-man campaign for three years of high school. We each had a character, and we took turns providing the adventure. While it is true that the person acting as DM did not get to enjoy his PC as much *at the same time*, we were able to have fun in a "whenever we want" long term game. Because we were neighbors, we never had to micro-schedule a game.

It can be done. The DM-at-the-time needs to detach himself from his PC a bit, and the type of adventures you run might be limited, but it can be done.
CharlieRock
11-28-06, 01:00 PM I found several solo adventure modules here. (http://e23.sjgames.com/search.html?gsys=d20)
Romtos
11-28-06, 01:13 PM Has anyone ever found a way to run a DM without a person? Or a truly fair way for a DM to play. Me and a friend are huge d20 fans and are completely alone in a small town, and we have no way to play because neither of us is really interested in one player and one DM game.

Maybe I'm just ignorant, but how many people of your age are there in a 'small town'? I also live in quite a small town, but I just 'created' interest and got myself a very nice gaming group among my friends. :)
Sim_antix
11-28-06, 02:12 PM Maybe I'm just ignorant, but how many people of your age are there in a 'small town'? I also live in quite a small town, but I just 'created' interest and got myself a very nice gaming group among my friends. :)
An excellent point. I tend to be kind of charasmatic and leaderish so when I was younger I just kind of "made" my friends try it. Some liked it alot and others not so much but eventually we had a game.
caeruleus
11-28-06, 02:38 PM There's a system called Mythic Roleplaying (http://www.mythic.wordpr.com/) that is supposed to allow for games without a DM, and still allow for surprises. You can download it at RPGNow.
sigma999
11-28-06, 03:01 PM Play Neverwinter Nights :P
CharlieRock
11-28-06, 04:56 PM Play Neverwinter Nights :P
Naw, the Diamond edition (only edition out in stores anymore) is DVD-ROM software. I don't have the drive to use that kind of disk in my PC. Besides, there is adequate ways to play PnP D&D with 2 players. :)
KurenaiYami
11-28-06, 10:59 PM Besides, there is adequate ways to play PnP D&D with 2 players. :)

Quick question: What is PnP?
CharlieRock
11-28-06, 11:39 PM Quick question: What is PnP?
Pencil 'n' Paper :)
strenoth
11-28-06, 11:54 PM http://rpol.net/

it's slower, by like a lot, than tabletop play, but you can also get into more intense RPing.
Deagar
12-02-06, 12:39 PM We've played hack and slash where one person is the GM for an encounter. After that encounter, GM passes to the right, and the players go to a new room, and the new GM sets up a new encounter.
High Octane
12-02-06, 03:22 PM www.worldofwarcraft.com
d24478667
12-10-06, 01:26 PM But as for those small-town fellows? Got Internet? Get this. (http://www.openRPG.com) Free online tabletop simulator -- one of many, actually, but it's the one I prefer. Head online and look for DMs or other players there!
I can't seem to get it to work for Mac. Any help?:embarrass::confused:
Chrono Nexus
12-10-06, 01:59 PM I can't seem to get it to work for Mac. Any help?:embarrass::confused:
Well, I can't be much help there, but I know someone that could help ya out.
http://forums.rpghost.com/forumdisplay.php?f=120
Ask for Dj Gilcrease or Digital Xero. He should be able to help you- but Open may not be compatible with Macs until the newest version comes out.
Tempest Stormwind
12-10-06, 02:15 PM I can't seem to get it to work for Mac. Any help?:embarrass::confused:

I assume you're using OSX Tiger? Simple.

1) Head into the /images folder and open up.

2) Open html.gif in your favorite image editor.

3) Delete the bottom row and the right column of pixels (changing its dimensions from 17x17 to 16x16). Save it (replacing the original).

Done. It should work with OSX's Python installs now (though you'll still need to install wxPython).

Yes, OSX has a problem treating images that aren't 16 pixels accross as icons, and that's throwing the whole thing off.

(That's all that we needed to do to fix it for one of our players who uses a mac.)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rogue Newb 11-27-06, 09:53 PM	Has anyone ever found a way to run a DM without a person? Or a truly fair way for a DM to play. Me and a friend are huge d20 fans and are completely alone in a small town, and we have no way to play because neither of us is really interested in one player and one DM game.
Chrono Nexus 11-27-06, 09:58 PM	I don't think it is possible for a DM to fully enjoy being a pc and also fulfill his responsiblities as a DM. Either way, one or the other is going to suffer. As for playing without a DM... it is possible, but only with site based advetures. Hack and slash is so defined by the mechanics, a machine could do the job practically. Assigning an umpire (quasi-DM) to handle application of the rules is really all that would be necessary. I think a DM plays the game when he DMs. I can see how playing keeps is more appealing, but the DM knows he's giving up a little fun so everyone else enjoys themselves.
Tempest Stormwind 11-27-06, 10:09 PM	God, if this existed, the CO boards would love it (since it removes the human element and gives consistent responses, which is what many of our thought experiments rely on). So, no. But as for those small-town fellows? Got Internet? Get this. (http://www.openRPG.com) Free online tabletop simulator -- one of many, actually, but it's the one I prefer. Head online and look for DMs or other players there! I hate all the local DMs (they are all either old-editions-only grognards or you-must-roleplay-everything-so-screw-the-player-who-tries-to-play-someone-smarter-wiser-or-more-charismatic-than-themselves DMs), so I looked elsewhere. I live in Edmonton (Western Canada) and have had VERY GOOD DMs in Grafton (Australia), London (England), and Halifax (Eastern Canada) thanks to that discovery.
jeffepp 11-27-06, 10:14 PM	Dungeon Bash is made to be played "DM-less". The campaigns are table based. It is a hack and slash. http://www.theothergamecompany.com/bash/index.htm
CharlieRock 11-28-06, 04:02 AM	Besides one playing sevral characters and one DMing ... I played several one player campaigns growing up. They mostly resembled wargames. Allow this, both 'players' get a set amount of characters, on a map, involve a story as the background. Then commence to tearing up the other 'side'. The DM is then more of a referee. An 'impartial' referee. Like playing old-school BattleTech or CarWars. :cool:
Sim_antix 11-28-06, 04:10 AM	I don't think it is possible for a DM to fully enjoy being a pc and also fulfill his responsiblities as a DM. Either way, one or the other is going to suffer. I said this once along time ago and was quickly flamed from all angles. I still stand by that statement.
CharlieRock 11-28-06, 04:17 AM	I said this once along time ago and was quickly flamed from all angles. I still stand by that statement. If I was the second guy, I'd wait for the DMPC to start haggling (or something) with himself (another NPC) ,and go ':mymy: ' Edit: heh, then suggesting he should RP more :evillaugh
Seeker95 11-28-06, 09:18 AM	A friend of mine and I ran a two-man campaign for three years of high school. We each had a character, and we took turns providing the adventure. While it is true that the person acting as DM did not get to enjoy his PC as much at the same time, we were able to have fun in a "whenever we want" long term game. Because we were neighbors, we never had to micro-schedule a game. It can be done. The DM-at-the-time needs to detach himself from his PC a bit, and the type of adventures you run might be limited, but it can be done.
CharlieRock 11-28-06, 01:00 PM	I found several solo adventure modules here. (http://e23.sjgames.com/search.html?gsys=d20)
Romtos 11-28-06, 01:13 PM	Has anyone ever found a way to run a DM without a person? Or a truly fair way for a DM to play. Me and a friend are huge d20 fans and are completely alone in a small town, and we have no way to play because neither of us is really interested in one player and one DM game. Maybe I'm just ignorant, but how many people of your age are there in a 'small town'? I also live in quite a small town, but I just 'created' interest and got myself a very nice gaming group among my friends. :)
Sim_antix 11-28-06, 02:12 PM	Maybe I'm just ignorant, but how many people of your age are there in a 'small town'? I also live in quite a small town, but I just 'created' interest and got myself a very nice gaming group among my friends. :) An excellent point. I tend to be kind of charasmatic and leaderish so when I was younger I just kind of "made" my friends try it. Some liked it alot and others not so much but eventually we had a game.
caeruleus 11-28-06, 02:38 PM	There's a system called Mythic Roleplaying (http://www.mythic.wordpr.com/) that is supposed to allow for games without a DM, and still allow for surprises. You can download it at RPGNow.
sigma999 11-28-06, 03:01 PM	Play Neverwinter Nights :P
CharlieRock 11-28-06, 04:56 PM	Play Neverwinter Nights :P Naw, the Diamond edition (only edition out in stores anymore) is DVD-ROM software. I don't have the drive to use that kind of disk in my PC. Besides, there is adequate ways to play PnP D&D with 2 players. :)
KurenaiYami 11-28-06, 10:59 PM	Besides, there is adequate ways to play PnP D&D with 2 players. :) Quick question: What is PnP?
CharlieRock 11-28-06, 11:39 PM	Quick question: What is PnP? Pencil 'n' Paper :)
strenoth 11-28-06, 11:54 PM	http://rpol.net/ it's slower, by like a lot, than tabletop play, but you can also get into more intense RPing.
Deagar 12-02-06, 12:39 PM	We've played hack and slash where one person is the GM for an encounter. After that encounter, GM passes to the right, and the players go to a new room, and the new GM sets up a new encounter.
High Octane 12-02-06, 03:22 PM	www.worldofwarcraft.com
d24478667 12-10-06, 01:26 PM	But as for those small-town fellows? Got Internet? Get this. (http://www.openRPG.com) Free online tabletop simulator -- one of many, actually, but it's the one I prefer. Head online and look for DMs or other players there! I can't seem to get it to work for Mac. Any help?:embarrass::confused:
Chrono Nexus 12-10-06, 01:59 PM	I can't seem to get it to work for Mac. Any help?:embarrass::confused: Well, I can't be much help there, but I know someone that could help ya out. http://forums.rpghost.com/forumdisplay.php?f=120 Ask for Dj Gilcrease or Digital Xero. He should be able to help you- but Open may not be compatible with Macs until the newest version comes out.
Tempest Stormwind 12-10-06, 02:15 PM	I can't seem to get it to work for Mac. Any help?:embarrass::confused: I assume you're using OSX Tiger? Simple. 1) Head into the /images folder and open up. 2) Open html.gif in your favorite image editor. 3) Delete the bottom row and the right column of pixels (changing its dimensions from 17x17 to 16x16). Save it (replacing the original). Done. It should work with OSX's Python installs now (though you'll still need to install wxPython). Yes, OSX has a problem treating images that aren't 16 pixels accross as icons, and that's throwing the whole thing off. (That's all that we needed to do to fix it for one of our players who uses a mac.)